Check controlled mechanism



5, 1940- I H. B. STONER ET AL 2,220,739

CHECK CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Jan. 26, 1938 I v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 flarrgfi$307tz zodney 1 1 Pi, zf ZZ 175 I f Eden/Z0119 Nov. 5, 1940. H. B. STONER ET AL 2,220,739

CHECK CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Jan. 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 1265 fiizZlz ba 4 H; B. STON ER HAL 7 2,220,739

' CHECK CONTROLLED MECHANISM I Filed Jan. 26, 1938 {Sheets- Sheet 5 Yu; N w

5, 0- H. B. STONER ET AL 39 CHECK CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Jan. 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHECK CONTROLLED MEoHANI'sM Harry B) Stcner and Rodney W. Phillips,

' a I Aurora, Ill.

This invention relates to" that portion of 'a check controlled mechanism, commonly referred to as a coin slide or 'coin chute, which is acted upon by a check to unlock the mechanism foran operating cycle. Specifically, the invention relates to the disposal of the check after it has been utilized in unlocking themechanism or initiating a cycle of operation thereof, and has as its primary object to provide, in a mechanism capable of utilizing checks of different sizes, check dischargingmeans thatis optionally adjustable so as to, under one adjustment, separate the larger from-the smaller checks anddeliver them to different discharge stations, and, ,under another adjustment, deliver all of the checks to a single station; Many check controlled-machines are adapted to utilize either or both of several sizes of checks such as, for example, five cent coins and slugs of 2.S1ight1y smaller diameter; In somecases, it will "be desirable to separate the slugs from the coins and deliver them to different. 'receptacles,'while in other cases it 'may' be preferable to deliver .both to the same receptacle; The present inven- -tion makes it possible to change the adaptation of the machine from one to the other of these conditions by a very simple adjustment that. may

be performed in an instant.

,Another object of the invention isto provide a o"s el ector device, applicable to the horizontal coin slide type of checkmechanism,for separating the checks-by carrying the larger checks away from the initial discharge station where all of the checks are received bythe selector, the

. smaller, checks being allowed to pass directly through theselector at-the initial discharge station. 7 Another object is to provide a simple arrangement for driving the selector in timed relation- 40 ship withthe movement of the operating plunger .of the coin slide.

A'further object of. the invention is to provide a Inoveljcheckexhibitor, adapted ,to display a maximum number. ofplayed checks in a mini- 45 mum amount of space,rparticularly in connection with a, horizontal slide type of check mechanism. The invention, in. addition, aims to provide a simplified arrangement ofslide, exhibitor, and selective discharge'mechanism, in which 50 'theexhibitor and selector are closely correlated,

utilizing a common drive mechanism, and the exhibitor serving as the means for delivering the checks to the selector. 5

With the foregoing and other-obj ects in view 55 which will appear as the description proceeds,

the'invention consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that' various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may-be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For'the purpose of facilitating an understanding of myinvention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings-a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when consideredin connection with the following description, myinvention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

' Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate correspondingor similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

Fig; 1 is a 'p1an View ofa check mechanism embodying the invention, with the plunger in retracted, position;

Fig. 2 is a-similar view with the plunger in advanced'position, parts being broken away to bet-' ter illustrate the construction;

' Fig. 3-is an inverted plan View of a portion of the mechanism, illustrating particularly the selector unit in advanced position, opened up to discharge the larger checks at the second discharge station;

Fig; 4 is a similar view of the selector "in rev tracted and closed position;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the selector, adjusted to constantly open position so as to discharge all checks at the initial discharge station;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the mech- 40 anism;

Fig. '7 is a sectional "view taken longitudinally through the selector unit as indicated by the line 1'-'! of Fig. 5; l

Fig. 8 is a'sectional view taken on the line 88 5 ofFig.1;'and i Fig. 9 is a sectional" View taken on the line 9--9ofFig.1."

The preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawings is embodied in a well known slide mechanism comprising'a' slideway I 0 formed with a collar flange H for attachment to a vertical wall of the machine which the mechanism controls. An operating plunger [2 is slidably mounted in the.slidew'a'y l0. At its outer end Gil the plunger [2 is provided with the usual handle l3 by means of which it may be advanced and retracted in the slideway H]. In its intermediate region, the plunger I2 is provided with a check receiving opening l4 adapted, when the plunger I2 is in retracted position as shown in Fig. 1, to register with the forward end of a guide slot I5 in the skirt l6 of the guideway Ill and with a small coin eliminating opening I! in the bottom wall of the skirt I 5, whereby coins and slugs of the proper size range may be readily deposited in the opening l4 and rest upon the shoulder formed by the said bottom wall between the openings l4 and II.

A check thus deposited will be carried by the plunger l2, when the latter is pushed inwardly, to a position directly below a sight opening H3 in a grille member i9 attached at to theupper side of the forward region of the slideway l2. In this position the plunger [2 will be fully advanced as shown in Fig. 2. During this operating stroke of the plunger I2, the check may be utilized to unlock the mechanism by moving aside certain looking elements that would otherwise obstruct the movement of the plunger. Not forming part of the present invention, such locking mechanism is not shown. The movement of the plunger may be employed in a well known manner to transmit operating movement to certain parts of the machine to which the invention is applied.

In the slideway Ii! directly below the sight opening I 8 is an opening 2i as shown in Fig. 8, through which the check will drop after being released from the plunger. The check will alight upon a gate 22 mounted for sliding movement in channels 23 formed in the slideway l0, along a path parallel to and below that of the plunger l2 as shown in Fig. 9. The gate 22 is adapted to reciprocate in timed relation to the movement of the plunger l2, being controlled by the latter through a driving connection including a pin 24 fixed in its forward end and projecting upwardly through a slot 25 in the plunger. As the plunger advances, the rear end of the slot 25 will engage the pin 24 as shown in Fig. 2, and during the remainder of the advancing stroke, the gate 22 will be carried along with the plunger, moving from the position shown in Fig. 8 to a position wherein the rear region of the gate, designated 26, will lie below the opening 2| so as to support the check while the plunger is in advanced position.

As the plunger is retracted, the forward end of the slot 25 will contact the pin 24, and during the remainder of the retracting movement, the gate 22 will be returned to the position shown in Fig. 8, in which position an opening 2'! in the gate will register with the opening 2|, allowing the check to drop into the exhibitor which will now be described.

Flanges 28 are formed on the lower side of the slideway l0 below the gate 22. To the flanges 2B is secured by means of screws 29, a roughly circular exhibitor casing'30 including upper and lower walls 3| and 32 respectively, secured together in spaced relationship by rivets 33 and washers 34 through which the rivets extend. Between the walls 3| and 32 is a conveyor disc35, which is journalled for rotation upon a stud 35 mounted in the walls 3| and 32. Washers 3! space the upper and lower faces of the disc from the walls 3| and 32. The conveyor disc 35 is provided with a circularly arranged series of check receiving openings 38, spaced equidistantly from each other and from the stud 36. In the upper casing wall 3| is an-annular slot or series of slots 39, registering with the series of openings 38, so that the checks in most of the openings 38 are exposed to View from above. The exhibitor casing is attached to the slideway l0 so that the latter is substantially tangent to one side of the casing, and so that a minimum area of the casing is covered by the slideway. The reasons for this arrangement will more fully appear hereinafter.

In the edge of the disc is formed a series of notches 4|], one for each of the openings 33. Pivoted on the stud 33, below the casing 30, is an arm 4|, to the outer end of which is pivoted a pawl 42 as shown in Fig. 2, arranged to engage with the notches 4B for advancing the conveyor disc in step by step movements. The pawl 42 is pivoted on a pin 43 mounted at its ends in a yoke 44 forming one end of a driving link 45 by means of which the arm 4| is connected to the plunger 52 to receive movement therefrom. The pawl 42 is centered in the yoke 44 by spacing washers 46. The pin 43 extends through the pawl 42, the washers 45, and the end of the arm 4|. The pawl 42 has a tail portion 47 which is attached to one end of a coil spring 48, serving to resiliently urge the pawl into engagement with the disc 35.

Secured to the plunger |2 near its forward end, and projecting laterally, is a bracket 49 having a slot 50, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plunger. A pin 5| mounted in the end of the link 45 opposite the yoke 44, extends throughthe' slot 5| and is secured therein by a cotter pin 52 and a washer 53.

As the plunger I2 is advanced, the rear end of the slot will engage the pin 5| and during the remainder of the advancing stroke, the arm 4| will be oscillated to retract the pawl 42 to the position shown in Fig. 2. As the plunger is retracted, the pawl 42 will engage in a notch 40 and zit) rotate the disc 35 one step. At the completion of this step, a holding pawl 54, pivoted at 55 between the casing walls 3| and 32, will move into engagement with oneof the notches 40 under the pull of a spring 56 attached at one end to an ear 1 51 formed on the pawl 54 and at its other end to an ear 58 struck downwardly from the lower wall 32.

The exhibitor is arranged so that when the disc 35 is in a position defined by engagement of the pawl 54 witha notch 40, one of the openings 38 will register with the opening 2| in the slideway so that the check, when released by the gate 22, will drop into said opening 38 through an opening 85 in the wall 4|. In this position, it will still be visible through the sight opening l8, being exposed through an opening 59 forming an enlargement of the slot 25. During the advancing step describedv in the preceding paragraph, this check will be advanced to the position desig-i nated 60 in Fig. 1. The check, shown in Fig. 1 at 6!, will then be visible through the beginning end of the annular. sight opening 39. Thus the played checks areall visible until finally disthis possible, as well as providing for the driving connection between the plunger l2 and the arm 1' charged from the exhibitor, the discharge posi- 4!, such driving connection .extending. around the periphery of the casing 30. The selective discharge mechanism includes .the arm 4i, near the outer end of which is formed a jaw (i3 as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 7. A Icoacting jaw 64 is formed at the end of an' arm .65 which is pivoted on the stud just above thearm 4 I The jaws 64 and 63 together form a basket-like structure, each including a, downwardly extending shoulder portion 66, a bottom memberjfil, anupwardly extending end wal1 68, and an upwardly extending side wall 69. The bottom members, 61 have semi-circular notches 1|] togetherforminga circular openingwhen the .jaws'are in normal closed relation as shown in Fig. 4. This opening is of sufficient diameter to passthesmaller checksthat are adapted tobe employed by themechanism, but will notpass the larger checks until the jaws are spread as in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5.,Thejjaw 64 is normallymaintained'in closed relationship to the jaw 63 by the pull ofthe spring 48, one end of which is attached as before statedto the pawl .42 and the other end of ,which is attachedto, an ear ll formed on the arm 85. ,1.

When the plunger 12 is in retractedposition, the selector will be positioned under a discharge opening 12 in the lower wall 32 of the exhibitor casing, at the position 62, which will be hereinafter referred to as the initial discharge station. This position of the selector is shown in Fig. 4. As the plunger is advanced, the selector, simultaneously with the retraction of the pawl 42, will be advanced to the second discharge position,

designated 13 in Fig. 3, where the jaws 63 and 64 will be spread by the engagement of a tail portion 14 on the arm 65 with the ear 58, causing the arm 65 to stop while the arm 4! continues to advance. When the plunger is retracted, the selector will be moved back to the initial discharge station, and simultaneously the conveyor disc will be advanced, carrying a check to the discharge opening 12 and causing it to drop through said opening into the selector. If a small check, it will pass directly through the selector and be discharged into a small check receptacle. If a large check, it will be retained by the selector until the latter has moved to the second discharge station 13, whereupon it will be released by the spreading of the jaws 63 and 64 to drop into a large check receptacle.

If it is desired to collect all of the checks in one receptacle, the selector is adjusted by simply blocking the jaws 63 and 64 apart so that all checks will pass directly through the selector at station 62. This is accomplished by a block member I5, pivoted at 16 on an arm 1! which in turn is pivoted on the stud 36 just below the \arm 4|. A spring 18, one end of which is attached to an ear [9 on the tail portion 80 of the block member 15 and the other end of which is attached to an ear Bl on the arm 11, serves to urge the block member 15 into alignment with the arm 11 and yet to allow it to yield laterally to pass one of the shoulder portions 66 of the arms 4|, 65. By spreading the jaws 63 and 64 with the fingers and rotating the arm ll, therefore, the block 15 will work its way into a position between the adj acent edges of shoulder members 66 as shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of the mechanism will be fully apparent from the preceding description.

It is believed that our invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodim'entof the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are. nevertheless capable of wide variation. within the purview of our. invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Patent. of the United States is:

. 1..In a check controlled mechanism, in combination with means adapted to employ checks of. varying sizes i-n'initiatingoperation of the mechanism and to then release thev checks, selecting means comprising a movable member provided with a pair of relatively movable jaws Letters adapted to receive the checks thus released, an

initial discharge station, said movable jaws being adapted to immediately discharge the smaller of the checks it has received at said initial discharge station and retain the larger checks, a second discharge station, link means connecting said movable member with said check controlled mechanism for movement thereby to said second discharge station, resilient means for maintaining said jaws in closed relation, stop means adjacent said second dischargev station cooperating with-j the movable ,member, during movement thereof to effect a spreading-ofthe' jaws thereof by causing a halt of one of saidjaws and permitting continued movement of the other, adjustable means consisting of a blocking member, 80

means for permanently and rotatively attaching said adjustable member to said movable member and means for adjusting said adjustable member to a position between said jaws for holding the jaws in an open position to discharge all of the checks at said initial discharge station.

2. In a check controlled mechanism, in combination with means adapted to employ checks of varying sizes in initiating operation of the mechanism and to thereafter release the checks,

first mentioned means to said oscillable arm to swing same during initiation of the operation of said check controlled mechanism, means normally holding said jaws in closed check retaining association, stop mans adjacent said second discharge station adapted to halt movement of one of said jaws permitting the other tomove with said oscillable arm to thereby effect a spreading of the said jaws causing the retained checks to be discharged at said second discharge station.

3. In a check controlled mechanism in combination with a slide of the type including a normally locked operating plunger adapted to be released for an operating stroke by various sized checks which it releases at the end of the stroke, means for segregating the smaller from the larger of said checks, including an initial discharge station for the smaller of said checks, and a second discharge station for the larger of said checks, selecting means for carrying said checks comprising an arm adapted to swing between said discharge stations, said arm being provided with relatively movable jaws each having the end thereof fashioned to the form of half of a basketlike structure, means provided upon said swingable arm normally maintaining said jaws in a closed position to cause said halves to cooperate to form thereby a receptacle, said receptacle having an opening in the bottom thereof through which the smaller of said checks are directly discharged to said initial station when released by said plunger, said receptacle being adapted to retain and carry therewithin the larger checks released from said plunger, a lost motion driving means between said plunger and said selecting means for causing same to swing from said initial discharge station to said secondary discharge station on movement of said plunger, and stop means disposed in the path of one of said jaws to halt same and permit the other jaw to continue moving while said selecting means is swinging to said second discharge station, thereby causing said halves of said basket-like structure to separate, opening said receptacle and thereby permitting said larger checks to be released therefrom at said second discharge station.

4. In a check controlled mechanism, in combination with a slide of the type including a normally locked operating plunger adapted to be released for an operating stroke by a check which it releases at the end of the-stroke, means for depositing said check within a discharge station comprising an arm adapted to swing between the point where said check is released and the said discharge station carrying said check from said point to said station, said armbeing provided with relatively movable jaws each having the end thereof fashioned to the form of half of a basket-like structure, means provided on said swingable arm for normally maintaining said jaws in a closed position to cause said halves to cooperate to form thereby a receptacle, said receptacle being adapted to catch, retain and carry therewithin the check released from said plunger at said point, a lost. motion driving means between said plunger and said swinging arm for causing same to swing from said release point to said discharge station on movement of said plunger, and stop means disposed in the path of one of said jaws to halt same and permit the other jaw to continue moving with said swinging arm while same is swinging to said discharge station, thereby causing said halves of said basket-like structure to separate, opening said receptacle and thereby permitting said check to be released therefrom at said discharge station.

HARRY B. STONER.

RODNEY W. PHILLIPS, 

